Did You Know Kentucky Is Home To A Gigantic Clock Made Of Flowers With A Political History?
By Will Suphan|Published April 02, 2024
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Will Suphan
Author
Will has been living in Arizona off and on for 30+ years in the Phoenix Metro and Tucson areas. He has traveled all over the state as well as having lived all over the Southwest. He's been writing for OnlyInYourState for one year and has previously written for Digital Journal. Will has a passion for travel and writing and combining the two is what he loves most. He loves solo international travel and has been to Thailand, France, Japan, and Cambodia.
Some of the more unique things about our fair state of Kentucky are hidden in plain sight and have a history few know about! While most everyone knows about our famous bourbon distilleries and the Kentucky Derby, did you know we also have a gigantic floral clock that has an intriguing political history? Let’s take a look at the story behind the floral clock at the Kentucky state capitol in Frankfort.
Our state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, is as beautiful and magnificent as the Bluegrass State itself. It’s an astounding attraction with a deep history and well worth a tour. However, there’s one aspect of this Kentucky icon that not many know about.
There’s a floral clock on the premises that is made of 100 tons of concrete and is 34 feet in diameter. The minute hand is 20 feet long while the hour hand is 15 feet long.
Every spring, the clock is planted with new flowers in a unique pattern. This is what it looks like without the flowers. Soon, the new pattern will bloom with a gorgeous display which will be different every year.
This isn’t just a lovely floral display. It was once the focal point of a hot-button political issue when it was built in 1963 at the behest of Governor Bert Combs after he saw a similar one during a trip to Scotland.
The previous governor, and Combs’ political rival, A.B. “Happy” Chandler, made the clock to be an example of wasted taxpayer money and nicknamed it the “Weed Clock." He is quoted as having said, “Well, they don’t say it’s half past two in Frankfort anymore. They say it’s two petunias past the jimson weed.”
Many locals ridiculed the clock, calling it “Comb’s Folly” and “Big Bert.” Yet, all of this political talk turned the clock into a rather well-visited landmark as people came to see what all the fuss was about. The political mockery faded in time and now it’s one of the most beloved landmarks in Frankfort.
Did you know about this floral clock in Kentucky at the state capitol? Do you know of any other unique hidden gems? Let us know about them in the comments. If you’re staying in Frankfort for a while, check out some of these other historical landmarks around town:
